US Post Office-Middleport
Also known as: Middleport Post Office
Why it's listed
Middleport's post office, at 42 Main Street, is a one-story brick building completed in January 1941 after construction began in May 1940. Congress authorized funds in 1939, and the site was cleared of a trolley depot, a church social hall and a small residence. Smythe and Co. of Takoma Park, Maryland, was the contractor. The design came from the office of Supervising Architect Louis A. Simon. It has a hip-roofed central pavilion with angled corners, flanked by recessed wings, red brick in English bond, and a segmentally arched entrance topped by a cast-metal eagle. The style is a very simplified Colonial Revival, with a lack of ornament that recalls Art Deco and Moderne work. Identical buildings stand in Frankfort and Lake George. Inside, the lobby keeps its terrazzo floors, marble wainscoting and oak trim. Above the postmaster's office door hangs "Rural Highway," a 1941 farm-scene mural by Marianne Appel. The building represents Depression-era federal construction efforts in small communities.
Significance in brief: It is an intact example of federal architecture built under Depression-era public works programs, designed in an extremely simplified Colonial Revival style with modernistic touches. It is one of three virtually identical post offices built in New York in 1940-41, the others being in Frankfort and Lake George. It also contains a 1941 mural by Marianne Appel, commissioned by the Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88002353, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 42 Main St., Middleport |
|---|---|
| County | Niagara County |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002353 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1940-1941 |
| Architect / builder | Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect; built by Smythe and Co. of Takoma Park, Maryland |
| Architectural style | Extremely simplified Colonial Revival with Art Deco and Moderne influences |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as well maintained and retaining a high degree of integrity inside and out; the form lists it as occupied and in government use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.21130, -78.47674 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88002353.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7891002
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.